God Seeks to Unsettle Us An excerpt from Let Go: Seven Stumbling Blocks to Christian Discipleship by Casey Cole, OFM
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eanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once [Jesus] spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid. Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the
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F r a n c i s c an Spi r i t
water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. —Matthew 14:24-29. Before I entered religious life, I was pretty happy and most certainly comfortable. I spent a lot of time with friends, had a girlfriend I loved, and lived without much responsibility. What could be better than college, right? While my specific situation had to end—none of us can stay twenty-two for the rest of our lives—I could have continued on that trajectory. My life did not need to change much. After college, I could have found a job near home, working to support myself but also marrying someone I loved, hanging out with friends, and living in a familiar situation. I could have stayed in the safety and comfort of the boat, easing down the stream of life, and no one would have been the wiser.
